Discussions By Condition: Head conditions

scalp is tender

One place on my scalp, just to the left of the "crown" is very sore to touch. It will hurt for a while after touching it and radiate out further for a while. I have had this for 6 weeks. There is no open sore, no dandruff, no visable sign that there is anything wrong . Dr doesn't know what it is and doesn't seem to care. Could this be a swollen lymph gland? Does anyone know where all the lymph glands are? I have Lupus (SLE) so probably worry about things like this too much. This is defiinently not Alopecia. Thanks. Donna

106 Replies:

Donna,I have a similar spot on my scalp that is often sore to the right of my crown. Like you there is nothing visibly wrong with my head and I would not describe this as a headache. It is just sore to the touch. The first time I had it was the morning after my 30th birtday party where I had consumed quite a bit of red wine. I was in bed the next morning and when I moved my head on the pillow it felt like I had a bruise on the back of my head but I didn't hit my head on anything. Later that day I noticed it was gone.Since then I noticed the same phenomenon usually after a night out to dinner with friends. I thought it was an allergy to sulfites in wine at first which I think still may be the case but I also get it after eating canned soup or Chinese food (when I haven't had any wine)...both of which contain MSG. I also get this sympton when I am dehydrated. I am convinced it is a food allergy of some kind...probably MSG or sulfites. Try keeping a food journal and see if it is triggered by anything you eat regularly. I'd be interested in hearing your feedback.Laura

My symptoms are very similar to yours. MSG and wine are very much a part of my diet and I will heed your advice to start a food journal. My condition has lasted at least 8 weeks and does seem to be getting worse. Does your condition ever ease up?

For the past four days I have had a pain that has started in my ear, then to the back of my ear and then on the back of my head - also my scalp - to the right of the top of my head is very tender and sore. I read someone else had said that it feels like they had a ponytail in too tight and then took it out - Mine feels just like that - not sure what it is - but - planing on having it checked out. My mom said it might be a tension headache.

Donna,I have a very similar sore spot on the top of my head, just to the left. I first noticed it when I ran my hand through my hair - it felt like a pulling sensation in this one spot. It got progressively worse over a few days, and is now very sore to touch. It hurst when I touch my hair or forehead, sometimes when I raise my eyebrows. It only hurst in this one spot.I am visiting my GP tomorrow to see if he can shed any light on it.Cheers,

Donna,I have SLE as well and similar symptoms. To me, it feels like I've had a pony tail in for 2 weeks and then take it out. It's that same sort of soreness at the crown of my head. My doctor didn't seem to care either. Hmmmmm....interesting. I've also been battling w/ insomnia.

I too have had a tender scalp, going on 6 months now. Also headaches which is why I've tried so hard to fix it.Teeth are fine, got new glasses, used chiropractor to relieve tight neck muscles. Getting massages regularly. Dermatologist said all is fine. Drs first thought was giant cell or temporal arteritis. But blood test normal. MRI was normal. Have a lump of veins (hemangioma) on one side which while they don't really think are causing the headaches is being reduced by saline injections. Have stopped all artificial sweetners and most alcohol.Suggest geting the blood test for temporal arteritis as that can get serious.

It all sounded a little too familiar with what I go through especially tearing up and getting dizzy when I see parallel lines, sinus pain and the "crown" being really tender and soar. Sternocleidomastoid (SCM) is the big ropey muscle that runs from the mastoid process (the rounded bump behind your ear) to the joint between collarbones and sternum at the base of your throat. This paired muscle pulls the head forward and down, and acts as a checkrein to prevent the head from falling backward. Both of these actions are involved in rolling where you must tuck the head for safety.When the SCM is strained or shortened the muscle itself rarely hurts, no matter how stiff or tight it may be. Problems are referred elsewhere, to head and neck, ears, eyes, nose and throat. The astonishing laundry-list of pain and dysfunction includes severe dizziness and other neurological symptoms. These may be mistakenly diagnosed as migraine, sinus headache, atypical facial neuralgia, trigeminal neuralgia, arthritis of the sternoclavicular joint, ataxia, multiple sclerosis (MS), brain lesions, tumors, and other frightening conditions. As always, these possibilities should be eliminated through differential diagnosis. However, because of its intimate relationship with the brain stem and several nerves including the vagus nerve, the SCM can produce many neurological disturbances all on its own. One is a condition known as “postural dizziness” —- just walking around feeling dizzy and disoriented -— perhaps with a frontal headache commonly interpreted as “sinus” pain. A common complaint in beginning Aikido or Judo is dizziness and nausea while rolling. This may be due to disorienting unfamiliar movements. It may also be due to a tight SCM, possibly strained long before arriving at the dojo by poor posture, chest breathing, or car accidents.At the dojo SCM is commonly strained by locks and pins and in rolling. SCM is critical for tucking the head which may be overdone by beginners. (Holding the head in the same position at the office will produce a nasty "word processor" headache.) More advanced students may suffer as well; when taking throws from beginners they often fling the head back then forward into a side-tucked position. This motion provides the energy and inertia needed for safety in the coming fall but it can also strain the SCM, a sort of self-induced whiplash injury. Avoid the fling, and learn to treat the injury.Go here to read more and find out what you can do to temporarily get rid of the pain and such: http://www.round-earth.com/SCM.html

I am having tender scalp and a quick google search pointed me at this discussion. Symtoms are pain in back of head/top of neck (behind left ear), then moved to sort of an ear ache, then moved around as tenderness in different places on scalp (basically the whole left side). I have been perplexed that the pain moves from place to place every few days (symptoms started about a month ago).I just started practicing Aikido about a week before the symptoms started. I had suspected that I may have stretched a muscle in my neck but I could not reconcile a muscle injury with my symptoms until I read the previous post. At this point I am almost certain that I strained my SCM although I will continue to investigate.Thanks for the information as I was about to head to doctor for ear ache and I would have almost certainly got standard antibiotics and 2 minutes out the door. This gives me a real place to start if I see the physician to help avoid a wrong diagnosis.

Donna;I realize it has been 2 years since you first posted, but I'll give it a try.I too, have a small painful spot on my scalp, just to the left of the crown. (Actually, it's and inch or so above the left ear.) Very painful, especially when I go over it w/ a comb or something. No other symptoms. No rash, no redness, not flaky. It just hurts like the dickens. You say yours lasted over 6 weeks? Did you ever find a reason? Do you still have it? Oh, my! mine is only a week old. I wonder how long this symptom lasts and what causes it?I didn't go to doctor because I assumed they'd treat me as yours did. No visible signs, no cause for concern.

I have the same problem and my sister in law, who is an emergency room nurse told me to take 2 tablet of Motrin twice a day with food to see if that helps. It's probably an inflamed nerve and this will help the inflamation.

I've been having the same problem. It started with a head cold a few weeks ago.. the cold cleared up on it's own but then I had a bad "toothache". I made an appt. with my dentist who told me all was fine but it could be sinus pain mimicking a toothache. Since then the "toothache" passed and the pain ended up on the side of my head, above my ear. It feels like a bruise or a ponytail being too tight. Over the past 2 days the pain is moving further back and is not mostly behind my ear towards the back of my head... however the achiness is mostly on the whole side. It's tender to the touch and hurts when I sleep on that side. I saw my GP and he said it's probably a nerve that flared up from the virus I had a few weeks ago. I'm going to give it some time to ease up and if it does not I'm going to see a neurologist. Does this sound similar????

For the past four days I have had a pain that has started in my ear, then to the back of my ear and then on the back of my head - also my scalp - to the right of the top of my head is very tender and sore. I read someone else had said that it feels like they had a ponytail in too tight and then took it out - Mine feels just like that - not sure what it is - but - planing on having it checked out. My mom said it might be a tension headache.Was wondering how you had got on with your tender scalp. I have had the same symptoms as yours. Just recently had surgery for gall bladder, and was on lots of pain killers- thought maybe it was caused by the medication? Went to Doctor and wanted to do CT scan, but have had lots of x-rays and CT scans in last month and was reluctant to get another zap of radiation...still very sore on top of head and feel pressure in scalp- a little worried.

I have had the same thing. I have a pain around my ear. It feels like a bruise, I also get a numbing feeling on the right side of my head. I also have the urge to scratch it even though it hurts. I've had it before and it went away for a few months. Now it's back again and I'm worried. I don't want to start popping tylenol because it's not good for the liver. Does anyone have any idea what this is?

I have had the same thing. I have a pain around my ear. It feels like a bruise, I also get a numbing feeling on the right side of my head. I also have the urge to scratch it even though it hurts. I've had it before and it went away for a few months. Now it's back again and I'm worried. I don't want to start popping tylenol because it's not good for the liver. Does anyone have any idea what this is?

I have tender scalp too, but is causes me to have headahces. I am 15 an this have been going on every since I young, but int the last three years it has gottin worse and on doctor can find out what is wrong with me. I have headaches randomly everyday from the time I get up to go to school till I go to sleep. The medicine they give me do not work. "Can anybody tell me what is wrong with me?"

To all others: I to have had a sore spot in my head going on 4 months. I recently had to go to the emergency room after the pain and dizziness was unbearable. I had a ct scan that resulted in nothing. I was given phenegan and sent on the way. I still stay very exhausted and dizzy with headaches. It has to be something does anyone know why.

Thank you all so much for the info. I also have the same symptoms and called a nurse hotline yesterday. Today I do notice that I have a lump under the scalp I didn't notice yesterday. The nurse indicated sinus or tension as a basis for the problem. My symptoms began after New Years Eve when I stayed up very late and had one-half of an alcoholic drink. I am not very used to alcohol so I thought it may have something to do with it. I have also been battling a little insomnia lately and I missed a lot of sleep over the Christmas holiday. I do have some degenerative disk in my neck and a bulging disk in my low back. I have been behind a computer a lot more at work the past several months. I have been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and some slight heart problems but I'm thinking it's more related to exhaustion than any other medical issue. So I will probably just rest up and try some neck exercises along with getting back into shape. Good luck to all of you!

I have a similar pain too. Mine is from my crown to about an inch left. Feels like there is a big bruise and it is really tender to touch. It eases after I wash my hair, but by the next day it is back again. It usually worsens during the evening. Doctor could not explain it! There are no other symptoms. This has been going on for about 5-6 months. I wonder what it is??